Different ways of printing talismans

  Chu breathed out a long sigh while sitting and tapping his fingers on the wooden table in the barn. Looking across the solid table, to the bloodstained snouts and matted fur, he shook his head. Recalling his first encounter with these cubs, he emitted a hollow laugh. Chu never forgot their brazen thievery of the wolf demon's heart that night.

  "You all had a fun time last night, didn't you? Why is it every time I make a great discovery, you brats try to ruin me?"

  Pity he couldn't wrap his hands around their thick necks to administer a good shaking.

  "Chu, before you say anything, they only ate the heart of the large Bitzer. And you had already checked for a lifestone. I honestly didn't know what happened until this morning."

  "How do you think the villagers feel when they see three wild wolves strutting around in the darkness while caked in blood? You need to rein in these troublemakers when we have visitors."

  He replied to their owner.

  Chu terminated a tiring day late last night, after hours of meditation. He barely entered into a night of blissful sleep when Ming roused him. Apparently, early in the morning, the villagers on night duty spotted three hulking figures outside the walls.

  The shadowy creatures sneaked around tossing the carcasses on the wagon. The snapping, growling, and creaking in the darkness resurfaced the lingering fears which then caused an uproar.

  Chu glared at Ming, who was standing innocently a few paces away.

  "Who let them outside in the first place?"

  "They used me Chu! Took advantage of my good faith! I thought they came scraping the gate to run outside to do their dirty business. How could I know they would create such a ruckus?"

  "Ah, forget it. Since everyone is up, let's go to the workshop. We have loads of work today."

  Chu provided Dyna a couple of minutes for a brisk cleaning and grooming of her subordinates. The panic had subsided under the morning light, but the wary glances fell on him. Walking, he sensed the cautious mood of the villagers. Chu wasted no time in getting down to business in the workshop.

  "Captain Joss, I have a task for you today. Select six men to scout the deserted village. I will also send four men from the farm."

  "Ah, forgive me Apprentice Chu, but what if we encounter a pack of Bitzers?"

  Chu shook his head at how fear transformed this man from a risk taker. He did not blame the captain since without knowing the full facts, he also would have done the same. Lack of knowledge sufficed as the main culprit.

  "Captain Joss, you seem to misunderstand me. I am not sending you nor my friends into danger. The pressing attack during the previous night confirmed we have successfully defeated the Bitzer horde in this area. The scouting mission is the first step to you retaking the village as a hero."

  Chu waved to the man who jumped up in surprise with his face flashing in excitement. Captain Sweeto bore an amazed and jealous expression on his face. An achievement as this could propel his name and the Bullhoof mercenary party into fame. Chief Dray sat gripping tightly on the handles of his chair since this could cement his position in the village.

  After being routed from their homes, who would not want to return as leading heroes? At the very least, the Bards as far as Karst would spin their names into fame and history.

  "Haha, I see you finally understand the situation. For menial tasks and conditions as these, the Tower Mages prefer to remain in the shadows. It is imperative the citizens of the Empire have heroes and leaders to worship. Do you three follow my meaning?"

  Scanning the faces while hearing their affirmative and near fervent replies, he continued

  "Captain Joss will depart with the scouting party early this morning, accompanied by Clod and Jim. Depending on the situation, tomorrow, Chief Drey will then lead the villagers to retake their homes. Of course, I require a few trivial items for this assistance."

  "Ah, forgive me Apprentice Chu but what about my party?"

  Sweeto asked. With Captain Joss filling in the position of hero, he wondered what gains remained for him and his companions.

  "Rest assured Captain Sweeto, for your services I have an ideal position available. Since the brave Captain reclaimed and drove the horde from the village. We need equally courageous adventurers, risking their lives by journeying to Karst. Valiant messengers, ignoring the perils of demon beasts and high snow, all to deliver victorious news and request aid..."

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  ***

  Chu manned the first shift in the butcher shed as he carefully melded two halfstones together. Yesterday, the anticipated dissection on the Bitzer leader proved futile. The ungrateful demon beast possessed no halfstone nor lifestone. Today, his misfortune continued as the four large Bitzers provided him with one left-eyed and three right-eyed halfstones.

  With Jim and Clod, out on the scouting trip, he roped in four extra pairs of hands, including Bon and Halter. The butchers in the room worked under the brightness of the sun from the open skylight.

  In stark contrast, Chu toiled in the adjacent room in secrecy under flickering light from the oil lamps. Heavy quilts hung on the walls, warding off the chill and inquisitive eyes from the outside. With Lucy beside him, however, he harbored no fear of peepers.

  "Why did you hand over all the credit to Captain Joss and the others, Chu?"

  "Low profile Lucy, low profile. With all eyes focused on the attention seekers, nobody would concern themselves with a farm managed by a limping farmer. Captain Joss and Sweeto have also agreed to keep us out of the main story. What better romantic and nailbiting tale than for these leaders to escape the horde and make a final stand on one of many insignificant farms. Heroically wiping out the horde they fought their way to reclaim a village of the Empire..."

  She nodded in agreement. Lucy never did like crowds.

  "Why did you send Dyna into the forest today, instead of letting her begin creating the talismans? She is just wasting time guarding those villagers."

  "Sweeto and his band of mercenaries are acting as security in the forest. Since most of the Bitzers have been gathered nearby and sorted, why have free laborers loafing around? Besides, Dyna is not out guarding because I sent her with a message to the goblin cave in the forest. Our little translator residing at that outpost will have it relayed to the shaman."

  Chu replied.

  With the villagers hanging around until at least tomorrow, he didn't want the goblins to produce an unexpected appearance. He also wanted to inform his trading partners of the dangers lurking nearby. Chu was not entirely sure if he had completely wiped out the Bitzers. Better to be safe than sorry.

  By sunset, he thanked the heavens for the change in luck. The Bitzers numbered much more than a hundred and culminated in proving him with eighty-three lifestones and six extra halfstones.

  'I must have been an idiot to have Sweeto check the demon beasts... counting over a hundred seems to open up a new world for the guy.'

  Soaking in a barrel of hot, herb-scented water to dispel the nauseating smell lingering from the past few days, he smiled. Two days, within two days his theory would be tested...

  "Chu, this isn't an Ancient talisman, I've never seen one like this before."

  "Don't worry, the basics remain the same. Draw five of them for me, then copy the normal Ancient talisman we have. Consider this research because if it works you don't have to draw over two hundred talismans for me."

  He replied to Miki.

  Gulping down a familiar bowl of gruel, Chu started his nightly meditation. Opposite him, on his large work desk situated on the upper floor of the barn, Lucy, Miki, and Dyna sat working. Using the improved ink pen and supplied with ink and paper, they engaged in talisman manufacturing.

  Captain Joss had returned before sunset bringing a favorable report. Tomorrow, the villagers would dispose of the carcasses and proceed home. Chu could then freely conduct his research plans. Long after midnight, Ming staggered up the stairs to meet him at the desk.

  "Do you know how mercenaries talk in the taverns? About taking a few weeks rest and relaxation before working again? I swear, I need a year. Jim and Clod returned with over eighty halfstones which the scouting party dug up from the Bitzer carcasses. Here you go, thirty completed lifestones for potion concoction. If we had arrived earlier, you might have also gotten the blood."

  Ming said while dropping a small box wearily on the side. He spent half the night melding the stones. His fingers trembled from the heat and residual static. Slumping against the wall, he offered his presence as support. An hour later, Rose found them all lying on the ground sleeping. Shaking her head, she soon stoked the fireside and covered them in thick quilts.

  Clod woke them all up in the morning. The villagers had already divided into groups to conduct their task for the day. The stockpiles of lumber and firewood had been restored. The repairs and cleanup also approached completion. Chu and the girls settled down to continue their drawings when Old Hodge stumbled up the stairs.

  "Boss, we did it. Late last night, Finn and I completed the testing of the plate. We didn't want to wake you since I judged we could scrape out the kinks. Bon also doubled the weight of the press"

  "Huh? Where did you do this? This is top secret you know."

  Chu said as his brain tried to register the barrage of information.

  "We set up the equipment in the cellar, Boss. Bon knows how you value privacy so he's been carting the pieces to the smithy for changes before returning with them. The last few prints on our paper made me weep. I swear by the Heavens, none of that pheasant-foot scratches we see in books can compare."

  "Oh? Did Elder Pick do what I requested?"

  He asked the fidgeting old man.

  With bloodshot eyes, frazzled white hair and beard, and twitching bony fingers, Old Hodge dressed in a robe stained with ink and sawdust, certainly personified a mad scientist.

  "Yes Boss, Elder Pick has brewed the ink while adding the amount of opal powder you requested. Hurry, I must have your opinion."

  Chu followed the excited man down to the kitchen and through the trapdoor into the cellar. A large printing press of iron and wood occupied the center. Different from what he envisioned, he gave credit to these men for building and modifying something from his vague recollection. An ordinary person like him would take a lifetime to achieve this goal. The benefits of befriending genuine craftsmen lay in front of him.

  Bon kneeled next to the device while tinkering with a clamp. Elder Pick stood by a table placed near the open trapdoor, pondering over an ink pot. The old man seemed to have regained some of his vitality after fathering a son. Chu flashed him a grin while walking towards the press.

  Bon mumbled on spotting him while tightening a large iron clamp with his vice-like fingers.

  "I know you said you wanted the plate removable, but the clamps I forge, shake too much. For now, I can only solder it to the iron shaft of the press. It's easier for me to do this to any of the plates you design."

  "No problem since I only have one plate at the moment. Where is the test page?"

  Chu asked while looking around. Elder Pick answered him from the table.

  "Finn carried it to the crow's nest up in the barn. He said he wanted to inspect it using the oval glass he borrowed from Lucy."

  Chu didn't wait long before the young man returned. Finn beamed while handing over the carefully rolled paper to him with shaking hands.

  "Boss, we did it!"